Cooling tunnel for articles of candy

ABSTRACT

A cooling tunnel ( 1 ) includes a driven conveyor belt ( 4 ) being designed and arranged to support articles of candy ( 6 ) and to convey them through the cooling tunnel ( 1 ) in a moving direction ( 5 ). A treating region ( 11 ) for articles of candy ( 6 ) is surrounded by an insolating plate ( 9 ) and by a cover ( 10 ). An upper cooling unit ( 13 ) is arranged in a region above the conveyor belt ( 4 ). The upper cooling unit ( 13 ) includes a channel being designed and arranged for cooling air to flow therethrough. A bottom cooling unit ( 12 ) is arranged in a region below the conveyor belt ( 4 ). The bottom cooling unit ( 12 ) includes a cooling plate ( 14 ) being designed and arranged for cooling liquid to flow therethrough. The cooling plate ( 14 ) in the treating region ( 11 ) is designed and arranged to be spaced apart from the insolating plate ( 9 ) in a vertical direction. A free space ( 16 ) is formed between the cooling plate ( 14 ) and the insolating plate ( 9 ).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of co-pending German patentapplication No. 100 04 754.8 entitled “Kühltunnel für SüBwarenstücke”,filed on Feb. 3, 2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a cooling tunnel forarticles of candy. The articles of candy may be articles including acore being covered by a mass, for example by a precrystallized chocolatemass. More particularly, the present invention relates to a coolingtunnel including an upper cooling unit and a bottom cooling unit.Cooling air is used in the region of the upper cooling unit. Heat istransferred from the articles of candy by radiation and/or byconvection. Usually, a cooling liquid is used in the region of thebottom cooling. The cooling liquid is guided through a cooling plate. Amixture of water and glycol or another cooling fluid may be used ascooling liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] A cooling tunnel is known from German Patent No. 196 07 055. Theknown cooling tunnel for articles of candy includes a driven conveyorbelt on which the articles of candy are supported to be transportedthrough the cooling tunnel in the moving direction of the conveyor belt.The known cooling tunnel includes a number of sections corresponding toits length. The known cooling tunnel includes a treating region forarticles of candy. The treating region is formed by an insolating plateand by a cover or a hood. An upper cooling unit is located above theconveyor belt, and it includes a channel through which cooling airflows. The upper cooling unit at least includes three cooling zonesbeing located one after the other in the moving direction of theconveyor belt. The cooling zone being located in the middle region ofthe cooling tunnel is designed as an absorption zone. The cooling zonebeing located at the end portion of the cooling tunnel is designed as aconvection cooling zone. A bottom cooling unit is located below theconveyor belt. The bottom cooling unit for the articles of candyincludes a cooling plate through which a cooling liquid flows.

[0004] In known cooling tunnels of this kind, the cooling plate isdirectly located on the insolating plate in a way that theysubstantially contact each other. Usually, the insolating plate is madeof polyurethane or of a different plastic material. The cooling plateincludes two sheets being interconnected by welding. The surfaces of thetwo sheets are also interconnected in a spaced apart manner. The coolingliquid flows through the interior of the cooling plate. It is to beunderstood that the known cooling tunnel also has a sectional designwith respect to the cooling plate. Since the insulating plates are widerthan the cooling plates, there are slots in each section and at bothsides of the insolating plates and of the cooling plates (as seen incross section perpendicular to the direction of movement of the conveyorbelt). The slots are located over the length of the cooling tunnel.Impurities and humidity may enter small gaps between the insulatingplate and the cooling plate through the lateral slots. Consequently,there is the danger of germs occurring in the cooling tunnel. It is notpossible to effectively seal the slots and to prevent impurities fromentering the region between the adjacent plates. It is rather difficultto clean the slots because they are hard to be accessed. Due to the factthat cooling tunnels are often cleaned with water, there is the dangerof the cleaning water entering the small gaps between the cooling plateand the insolating plate.

[0005] Another cooling tunnel is known from German Patent No. 23 22 918.The known cooling tunnel also includes a plurality of sections beinglocated one after the other in the moving direction of the conveyorbelt. The conveyor belt is moved and guided through the cooling tunnel.Articles of candy may be put on the conveyor belt to be cooled duringthe movement of the conveyor belt through the cooling tunnel. The knowncooling tunnel includes an upper cooling unit, meaning a cooling unitbeing effective in the region above the plane of the conveyor belt andwith which the articles of candy are being cooled form above.Additionally, the known cooling tunnel includes a bottom cooling unitbeing located below the plane being defined by the conveyor belt. Thebottom cooling unit is effective below the plane of the conveyor belt tocool the lower sides of the articles of candy through the conveyor belt.The known cooling tunnel includes an upper cooling unit using coolingair and a bottom cooling unit also using cooling air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Briefly described, the present invention relates to a coolingtunnel for cooling articles of candy. More particularly, the presentinvention relates to a cooling tunnel including a driven conveyor beltbeing designed and arranged to support articles of candy and to conveythem through the cooling tunnel in a moving direction. A treating regionfor articles of candy is surrounded by an insolating plate and by acover. An upper cooling unit is arranged in a region above the conveyorbelt. The upper cooling unit includes a channel being designed andarranged for cooling air to flow therethrough. A bottom cooling unit isarranged in a region below the conveyor belt. The bottom cooling unitincludes a cooling plate being designed and arranged for cooling liquidto flow therethrough. The cooling plate in the treating region isdesigned and arranged to be spaced apart from the insolating plate in avertical direction. A free space is formed between the cooling plate andthe insolating plate.

[0007] The present invention also relates to an apparatus for coolingarticles of candy. The apparatus includes a driven conveyor belt beingdesigned and arranged to convey articles of candy through the apparatusin a moving direction. A cover and an insolating plate are designed andarranged to form a region of treatment for articles of candy. An uppercooling unit is substantially arranged in a region above the conveyorbelt. The upper cooling unit includes a channel for cooling air. A lowercooling unit is substantially arranged in a region below the conveyorbelt. The lower cooling unit includes a cooling plate for a coolingfluid. The cooling plate is designed and arranged to be substantiallyspaced apart from the insolating plate in a vertical direction to form afree space or a channel.

[0008] With the novel cooling tunnel, the danger of germs beinggenerated between the cooling plate and the insolating plate issubstantially reduced. In the novel cooling tunnel, there are no slotsbetween the cooling plate and the insolating plate. Due to the verticaldistance in combination with the parallel arrangement of the coolingplate and of the insolating plate, there is a free space that may beeasily accessed after removing or pivoting away the corresponding cover.The free space is not only located in the region of the edge portions ofthe cooling tunnel, but also in the direction of the width of thecooling tunnel. Such a free space may be easily and thoroughly cleanedwhen necessary. Additionally, the free space may also be used as channelto fulfil additional functions. With the novel cooling tunnel, it is notnecessary to seal the region between the cooling plate and theinsolating plate.

[0009] With the novel cooling tunnel, the following advantage isachieved: the conveyor belt may be arranged at a working heightcorresponding to the working height of a conveyor belt of a coolingtunnel using cooling air in the region of the bottom cooling unit. Inother words, two different kinds of cooling tunnels achieve the sameworking height no matter which kind of medium is used in the bottomcooling unit. Consequently, there also is the advantage that the twokinds of cooling tunnels both include further common elements. Forexample, the supporting structures of the two kinds of cooling tunnelsmay have the same dimensions. Such an arrangement provides foradvantages with respect to the manufacture of the cooling tunnel. Thenovel cooling tunnel may be rearranged to cool different articles ofcandy. It is possible to only rearrange the novel cooling tunnel in someof its sections. For example, a first section of the cooling tunnel maybe operated with a cooling fluid to attain a great cooling effect in theregion of the bottom cooling unit. A following section may be operatedwith cooling air to carefully cool the articles of candy in the regionof the bottom cooling unit.

[0010] The dimensions of the novel cooling tunnel may be chosen in a waythat the sum of the heights of the free space and of the cooling platecorresponds to the sum of the heights of a channel and of a carriersupporting sheet of a different cooling tunnel including a bottomcooling unit using cooling air. The free space has dimensions of adifferent cooling tunnel taking into account the height of the coolingplate. In case of cooling tunnels working with cooling air in the regionof the bottom cooling unit, a belt supporting sheet is used. The beltsupporting sheet supports the conveyor belt and the conveyor belt slidesover the belt supporting sheet, respectively. A cooling channel overwhich cooling air is being guided is arranged below the conveyor beltand below the belt supporting sheet, respectively. In case the novelcooling tunnel includes a bottom cooling unit working with a coolingfluid, there is the possibility of changing the arrangement or adaptingthe arrangement of the cooling tunnel in an easy way.

[0011] The cooling plate in the region of the section of treatment maybe supported on distance elements or on stilts being distributed overthe width of the free space and of the channel, respectively, Thesedistance elements provide for the cooling plate being supported in aspaced apart, parallel, horizontal plane with respect to the insolatingplate without having a substantial negative effect on the accessibilityof the free space. The cooling plate may be made of a comparatively thinsheet metal. It is possible to enter the free space with a flushingapparatus or a different apparatus for applying cleaning water into thefree space to achieve a cleaning effect in the free space. Even in caseof cooling tunnels of different kinds, there is the further advantage ofthe conveyor belts being located at the same working height and of theupper sides of the covers of the different cooling tunnels being locatedat the same height. Thus, the corresponding cross sections being locatedabove and below the conveyor belt have approximately the samedimensions.

[0012] It is especially advantageous if the channel being locatedbetween the cooling plate and the insolating plate is designed as areturn conduit of the upper cooling unit. Since cooling air is used inthe upper cooling unit, there is the possibility to design a great freecross section above the conveyor belt in a special way and to use it,for example, by the arrangement of adjustable flaps, absorption wallsand the like. The entire cross section being located above the conveyorbelt may be used. The channel being located between the plate and theinsolating plate may be used as return conduit. It is to be understoodthat the bottom cooling unit uses a cooling fluid being fed through thecooling plate.

[0013] In combination with the above-mentioned arrangement, it makessense to design the channel being located between the cooling plate andthe insolating plate to be laterally open and to be surrounded by thecover. Due to the open design, the free space and the channel,respectively, may be freely accessed in a lateral direction after thecover has been removed or pivoted away in an upward direction. On theother hand, the free space being designed as a channel is sealed by ribsor protrusions being arranged in the region of the covers. Such anarrangement is absolutely sufficient to guide the air.

[0014] Other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of thefollowing drawings and the detailed description. It is intended that allsuch additional features and advantages be included herein within thescope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The invention can be better understood with reference to thefollowing drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarilyto scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating theprinciples of the present invention. In the drawings, like referencenumerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0016]FIG. 1 is a view of a vertical section through a first exemplaryembodiment of a cooling tunnel in its working position.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a view of a vertical section through the cooling tunnelof FIG. 1 in its cleaning position.

[0018]FIG. 3 is a view of a detail X of FIG. 1 in an enlarged scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, FIG. 1schematically illustrates a cooling tunnel 1 including a frame 2. Theframe 2 is designed as a supporting structure or as a structure beingsimilar to a table. A conveyor belt 4 is driven by a motor (not shown)to move through the cooling tunnel 1 in a moving direction perpendicularto the plane of illustration of FIG. 1. The conveyor belt 4 is locatedabove a bottom 3. Articles of candy 6 are placed on the conveyor belt 4to be cooled during the movement of the conveyor belt 4 through thecooling tunnel 1. The frame 2 includes support elements 7 and transversebars 8. An insolating plate 9 is supported on the frame 2. For example,the insolating plate 9 may be made of polyurethane. The cooling tunnel 1in its upper region is closed by a hood or a cover 10. The insolatingplate 9 and the cover 10 define a treating region 11 within the coolingtunnel 1. The cooling tunnel 1 is separated or divided in the movingdirection 5 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of illustration ofFIG. 1 to include a plurality of sections, segments or portions. Thecovers 10 have a length corresponding to a certain modular design of thecooling tunnel 1. Usually, the covers 10 are designed to be opened by apivotal movement and/or they are designed to be removably supported onthe edge portions of the insolating plate 9. In this way, the treatingregion 11 of the cooling tunnel 1 may be easily accessed for cleaningpurposes, maintenance purposes and inspection purposes. The coolingtunnel 1 includes a lower cooling unit or a bottom cooling unit 12 andan upper cooling unit 13. The bottom cooling unit 12 includes a coolingplate 14 through which a cooling liquid may stream or flow. The coolingplate 14 includes two sheets of metal. The edge portions of the sheetsof metal are connected by welding. The two sheets are partiallyinterconnected over their surfaces in a spaced apart manner in a waythat the cooling liquid being located inside the cooling plate 14 isbeing distributed and mixed. For example, a mixture of water and glycolor a different cooling fluid may be used as cooling liquid. The conveyorbelt 4 with the articles of candy 6 being located thereon moves over theupper sheet of the cooling plate 14. The upper sheet of the coolingplate 14 has a substantially flat design. The articles of candy 6 arebeing cooled from below by the bottom cooling unit 12.

[0020] The cooling plate 14 and the insolating plate 9 are arranged at avertical distance. The cooling plate 14 may be supported on distanceelements 15. The distance elements 15 are distributed over the surface,and they support the cooling plate 14. A free space 16 is formed betweenthe insolating plate 9, the cooling plate 14 and the corresponding cover10. In case of the cover or hood 10 being lifted (FIG. 2), the freespace 16 may be easily accessed for cleaning purposes, maintenancepurposes and inspection purposes. However, the free space 16 may also beused as a return conduit for cooling air of the upper cooling unit 13.In this case, the cooling tunnel 1 may still be accessed for reasons ofcleaning, maintaining and inspecting the cooling tunnel 1.

[0021] The design and arrangement of the free space 16 may be chosen ina way that the sum of the heights of the free space 16 and of thecooling plate 14 corresponds to the sum of the heights of a channel andof a sheet carrying the conveyor belt of a different cooling tunnelincluding a bottom cooling unit utilizing cooling air. It is to beunderstood that the second mentioned cooling tunnel is a cooling tunnelof a different kind. The arrangement of the first cooling tunnelprovides a number of advantages. The working heights of the two coolingtunnels are identical. This means that the two conveyor belts 4 arelocated at the same height. In this way, tunnel modules of the firstkind may be combined with tunnel modules of the second kind to togetherform a combined cooling tunnel. Additionally, changing tunnel sectionswithin an existing cooling tunnel is being simplified. It is especiallyeasy for the user to clean the cooling tunnel. For the manufacturer ofthe cooling tunnel, the production of series is simplified. For example,all supports 7 for cooling tunnels of different kinds have the sameheight. The portion of the treating region 11 above the cooling plate 14serves as upper cooling unit 13. This space may be separated byseparating walls 17. It is also possible to arrange separating flaps todirect the cooling air directly onto the articles of candy 6 to cool thearticles by convection or to remove the heat by radiation by absorption.

[0022] A roller path 18 is arranged below the insolating plate 9 totransport the lower portion of the conveyor belt 4. It is to beunderstood that the tunnel modules may have a length in a range ofapproximately 2 m or 3 m. The cooling plates 14 have a continuousdesign. This means that each tunnel module only includes one coolingplate 14. However, each tunnel module includes a plurality of covers 10to reduce the weight of each cover 10 and to simplify the pivotalmovement of the covers 10. The covers 10 in their upwardly pivotedposition (FIG. 2) are supported on supports 18.

[0023]FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of the cooling plate 14 ingreater detail. There is an upper sheet 20 on which the conveyor belt 4is being guided. The lower sheet 21 of the cooling plate 14 may have adeformed design to have a cross section 22 having the design of a groovethrough which cooling fluid flows. The free space 16 is located belowthe lower sheet 21.

[0024] Many variations and modifications may be made to the preferredembodiments of the invention without departing substantially from thespirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications andvariations are intended to be included herein within the scope of thepresent invention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim:
 1. A cooling tunnel for articles of candy, comprising: a drivenconveyor belt being designed and arranged to support articles of candyand to convey them through said cooling tunnel in a moving direction; atreating region for articles of candy, said treating region beingsurrounded by an insolating plate and by a cover; an upper cooling unitbeing arranged in a region above said conveyor belt, said upper coolingunit including a channel being designed and arranged for cooling air toflow therethrough; and a bottom cooling unit being arranged in a regionbelow said conveyor belt, said bottom cooling unit including a coolingplate being designed and arranged for cooling liquid to flowtherethrough, said cooling plate in said treating region being designedand arranged to be spaced apart from said insolating plate in a verticaldirection, a free space being formed between said cooling plate and saidinsolating plate.
 2. The cooling tunnel of claim 1 , wherein the freespace and said cooling plate each have a height, and wherein the sum ofthe heights of the free space and of said cooling plate corresponds tothe sum of the heights of a channel and of a belt supporting sheet of aprior art cooling tunnel.
 3. The cooling tunnel of claim 1 , furthercomprising a plurality of distance elements, said cooling plate in saidtreating region being supported on said distance elements.
 4. Thecooling tunnel of claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of distanceelements, said cooling plate in said treating region being supported onsaid distance elements.
 5. The cooling tunnel of claim 3 , wherein thefree space has a width, and wherein said distance elements are arrangedto be distributed over the width of the free space.
 6. The coolingtunnel of claim 4 , wherein the free space has a width, and wherein saiddistance elements are arranged to be distributed over the width of thefree space.
 7. The cooling tunnel of claim 1 , wherein the free space isdesigned as a channel.
 8. The cooling tunnel of claim 2 , wherein thefree space is designed as a channel.
 9. The cooling tunnel of claim 3 ,wherein the free space is designed as a channel.
 10. The cooling tunnelof claim 7 , wherein said channel is designed as a return conduit ofsaid upper cooling unit.
 11. The cooling tunnel of claim 8 , whereinsaid channel is designed as a return conduit of said upper cooling unit.12. The cooling tunnel of claim 9 , wherein said channel is designed asa return conduit of said upper cooling unit.
 13. The cooling tunnel ofclaim 10 , wherein said channel is designed to be open in a lateraldirection and to be surrounded by said cover.
 14. The cooling tunnel ofclaim 11 , wherein said channel is designed to be open in a lateraldirection and to be surrounded by said cover.
 15. The cooling tunnel ofclaim 12 , wherein said channel is designed to be open in a lateraldirection and to be surrounded by said cover.
 16. An apparatus forcooling articles of candy, comprising: a driven conveyor belt beingdesigned and arranged to convey articles of candy through said apparatusin a moving direction; an insolating plate; a cover, said cover and saidinsolating plate being designed and arranged to form a region oftreatment for articles of candy; an upper cooling unit beingsubstantially arranged in a region above said conveyor belt, said uppercooling unit including a channel for cooling air; and a lower coolingunit being substantially arranged in a region below said conveyor belt,said lower cooling unit including a cooling plate for a cooling fluid,said cooling plate being designed and arranged to be substantiallyspaced apart from said insolating plate in a vertical direction.
 17. Theapparatus of claim 16 , wherein a free space is formed between saidcooling plate and said insolating plate.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16 ,wherein a channel is formed between said cooling plate and saidinsolating plate.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said conveyorbelt is located at a working height corresponding to a working height ofprior art cooling tunnels including a bottom cooling unit including achannel for cooling air.
 20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein thefree space and said cooling plate each have a height, and wherein thesum of the heights of the free space and of said cooling platecorresponds to the sum of the heights of a channel and of a beltsupporting sheet of a prior art cooling tunnel.
 21. The apparatus ofclaim 18 , wherein said channel being formed between said cooling plateand said insolating plate and said cooling plate each have a height, andwherein the sum of the heights of said channel and of said cooling platecorresponds to the sum of the heights of a channel and of a beltsupporting sheet of a prior art cooling tunnel.
 22. The apparatus ofclaim 16 , further comprising a plurality of distance elements, saidcooling plate being supported on said distance elements.
 23. Theapparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of distanceelements, said cooling plate being supported on said distance elements.24. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising a plurality ofdistance elements, said cooling plate being supported on said distanceelements.
 25. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said channel beingformed between said cooling plate and said insolating plate is designedas a return conduit of said upper cooling unit.
 26. The apparatus ofclaim 25 , wherein said channel being formed between said cooling plateand said insolating plate is designed to be open in a lateral directionand to be surrounded by said cover.